The Immoralist (Themes)

Themes

Homosexuality

The central theme of The Immoralist is the growing self-awareness of a repressed homosexual whose natural inclinations are at odds with societal conventions. Gide's narrative is based partly on his own experiences as a young man whose sexless marriage came into conflict with his homosexual tendencies. Written nearly a century ago, The Immoralist describes Michel's process of self-realization in subtle, veiled terms. There is no direct reference in the novel to homosexuality, but only indirect hints regarding Michel's physical attraction to adolescent boys and his general lack of interest in maintaining a sexual relationship with his wife. However, the closing lines of the novel are the most direct indication of Michel's homosexuality: Michel loses interest in a female prostitute, and indicates that he prefers the "odd caress" of the girl's brother Ali.

Self-Discovery

Michel's narrative describes a journey of self-discovery. Until his marriage, Michel had lead a very limited and sheltered life as a young scholar living under the wing of his father, who was also a scholar. Michel's honeymoon travels with his wife to North Africa, however, open up new vistas to him, and he becomes increasingly aware of his own body and of physical, sensual experiences. As time passes, Michel discovers the emergence of his true inner self, which had previously been repressed. With his increasing awareness of his true nature, Michel finds that he must present a false outer appearance to his wife. Michel's late-night discussion with Menalque encourages his conviction that it is more important to live according to one's natural desires than to stifle the true inner self in accordance with societal conventions. By the end of the novel, however, Michel finds that his journey of self-discovery has left him feeling confused and uncertain about his life. As he tells his friends, "Knowing how to free oneself is nothing; the difficult thing is knowing how to live with that freedom."

Mind Versus Body

As a studious scholar, Michel before his marriage had lived a life of the mind. In North Africa, as he is recovering from tuberculosis, however, Michel becomes increasingly focused on the life of the body. His interest in his physical being begins when he sees the fresh and healthful bodies of the young Arab boys. This inspires him to devote himself to improving his own physical health through diet and exercise. As he recovers from his illness, Michel becomes increasingly aware of physical and sensual experiences. One day he goes off by himself in the wilderness and sunbathes nude, then dives into a mountain stream, thus acting upon his desire to engage in physical experiences and to celebrate his physical being. As an expression of his newfound sense of self, he decides to shave his beard and let his hair grow long, thus outwardly demonstrating the profound change that has come over him. Michel's interest in physical health is also indicated by the fact that he finds himself drawn to the most healthy and attractive looking Arab boys, while his wife tends to prefer the sickly and homely looking children.

Life Versus Death

Life and death are also central themes of The Immoralist. During the course of the novel, Michel and then his wife are brought to the brink of death. While on their honeymoon, Michel becomes gravely ill from tuberculosis. Although he eventually recovers his health, Marceline later becomes ill from tuberculosis, which she had contracted while nursing him through his illness. Marceline's illness causes her to have a miscarriage, and she herself soon dies. Michel, in recovering from sickness, discovers a new sense of physical health and passion for life. Michel is a scholar of ancient civilizations, and so has spent most of his life studying dead peoples and dead cultures. With his new love of life, Michel loses interest in studying a dead past. As his story progresses, he finds himself desiring more and more to experience life to its fullest extent. He describes his new appreciation for life as a process or rebirth. Ironically, though his baby dies before it is born, Michel experiences a feeling of rebirth in his own life. As his wife is dying, Michel finds himself embracing and celebrating life.